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• Critical seasonal range for deer does not occur <br />on the lease area. Rather, the lease area is <br />representative of mule deer transitional range <br />throughout the intermediate elevations of North Park. <br />The temporary removal of 25.2 acres of sagebrush- <br />grassland escarpment is not expected to significantly <br />affect the mule deer. Reclamation offers an opportunity <br />to enhance the value of the range for mule deer in the <br />long term. <br />Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) occur seasonally <br />on the lease area, primarily within sagebrush-grassland <br />plateau habitat. BLM (1979,1981) reported that the <br />lease area is on the border line of an overall <br />distribution area. They reported that about 25 pronghorn <br />inhabit the proposed lease area, primarily in spring and <br />summer. Nineteen pronghorn were observed just north of <br />• the lease area in March, 1981. <br />The temporary removal of 15.5 acres of plateau <br />habitat is not expected to significantly affect the <br />pronghorn population, owing to the expansiveness of <br />suitable spring and summer habitat, and taking into <br />account the small number of pronghorn. Reclamation <br />is expected to enhance the value of the range for <br />pronghorn, if favored summer forage plants - high <br />quality forbs - are established. <br />b. Carnivores <br />Badgers (Taxidea taxus), striped skunks (blephitis <br />mephitis), coyotes (Canis Zatrans), and red foxes <br />(VuZpes vulpes) have been recorded on or near the <br />lease area (BL24 1979, 1981). In addition, long-tailed <br />weasels (Mustela frenata) and bobcats (Lynx rufus) <br />should be found in small numbers on or near the lease <br />area. The above species are expected to fluctuate <br />• in relation to suitable prey, primarily small mammals, <br />-5- <br />